Identification badges bearing human-readable data, such as photographs, text, graphic designs and logos are known. Such badges have been known to be modified in recent years to become identification badges with electronic key card capabilities for entry onto secured premises. Financial transaction cards bearing machine-readable data, such as magnetic-recording, integrated circuits, bar codes, or the like, are also known. Commonly referred to as credit cards, debit cards, and "smart" cards, these financial transaction cards are as popular as they are convenient. However, fraudulent misuse of the cards has risen tremendously in recent years.
Accordingly, it has become desirable to incorporate the advantages of identification badges and financial transaction cards for providing cards/badges bearing both human and machine-readable data, that may be used for identification, merchandising and/or marketing. To that end, credit cards bearing a magnetic stripe for storing magnetic recordings may also bear a photo-image pictorially identifying the owner of the cards. Or, an identification badge bearing visual identifying text may also bear a magnetic stripe or a chip to store machine-readable data, such as a premises entry and exit record.
Although such combination ("hybrid") cards have their advantages, their production and issuance may be labor and time intensive. Multiple distinct stages or production and development are typically required, each stage employing distinct equipment and skills. While the issuance and processing of such hybrid cards can be accomplished with conventional means, convenience and ease are still wanting, particularly for, but not limited to, issuance and processing in lesser quantities or frequencies. Accordingly, a need exists for a system which issues and/or processes cards bearing both human-readable and machine-readable data without imposing substantial inconvenience and requiring considerable effort.
Moreover, cards or badges are often exposed to damaging elements such as ultra-violet rays, or dirt or debris that cause the cards or badges to deteriorate. In particular, visual indicia on the surface of the cards become so damaged that replacement of the card is necessary.
Accordingly, there exists a demand for a card issuing and processing system embodied in a terminal which incorporates the distinct processes and equipment to enable cards or badges bearing machine-readable and human-readable data to be issued and processed with substantial ease. It is desired that such a terminal be substantially compact and portable and accommodating of most machine-readable, data-bearing cards, such as magnetic-stripe cards or IC cards. It is farther desired that such a terminal adequately prepares the cards for processing, such as by cleaning the surface of the card, and provide a means by which durability of the card surface is increased.